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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [November i, 1887 
It is now seven years since the last Melbourne I 
Exhibition, and I would go so far as to say 
that not in one household out of ten through- 
out Australia has Ceylon tea been heard of, far 
less seen and tasted. To prove that I do not write 
without a degree of authority, I may mention that 
in 1881 I visited a large proportion of the towns 
in the Colony of Victoria, my business being prin- 
cipally with the retail tradesmen ; and I took every 
opportunity of furthering the interests of Ceylon 
tea, although, as Mr, Mackenzie says, it was 
only in its infancy then ; and I feel perfectly 
certain that had I known as much about tea as 
I have learned since, I could have sold it in 
quantity, and in all probability would now be en- 
gaged in selling it instead of producing it. 
I am now only repeating views which I have 
expressed in your columns before. Let me again 
suggest what I consider the most likely modus 
operandi to secure our object. Establish agencies 
in Melbourne and other principal towns with suffici- 
ent funds and stocks of tea to carry on the 
business, and let them employ canvassers, men 
who would carry samples and take orders from house 
to house, not only in towns, but throughout the 
stations in the "Bush"; being paid by a liberal 
commission, and being allowed to take other com- 
missions excepting tea. A man cannot push a new 
line at his own risk on a 5 per cent commission, as 
I know from experience. There seems to be great 
difficulty in getting support to any Syndicate or 
other scheme formed for the benefit of those who 
have invested capital in tea property, but I believe 
the time is not very far distant whem this ques- 
tion will come to be quite equal in importance to 
that of labour supply ; and then no stone will be 
left unturned to find outlets for the millions of 
lb. of tea we shall want to export. 
As yet there is but a proportion of those who 
will erelong be interested in the tea market who 
are in a position to subscribe in kind towards the 
present object; but all who have tea planted or 
even only in nurseries as yet should feel called 
upon to support a scheme which will ultimately 
benefit all alike. CHAS. M. HENRY. 
THE PUSHING OF CEYLON TEA: 
MR. SCOVELL BRINGS UP HIS FORCES FOR 
THE BATTLE. 
Nawalapitiya, 2nd Oct. 1887. 
g IEi — In May of last year I wrote to the Planters' 
Association and the press urging the great im- 
portance of some co-operative action being taken 
to assist in the opening up of new markets for 
our teas, and the general and systematic advertising 
of our produce. Mr. Rutherford followed this up 
with a carefully prepared scheme, which, however, 
did not receive the general support it merited, 
partly and from the fact that contributions of tea 
not money formed the basis of the proposed oper- 
ations, but mainly, I think, because prices then 
ruling for our teas both in London and Colombo 
apparently lulled men into a position of false security. 
My remark made at that time that the matter 
of systematic pushing of our tea " was one which, 
involving some trouble, we are apt to neglect 
until the necessity for action is forced upon us," 
has been emphasized by subsequent events, and I 
feel sure that all interested in this most import- 
ant question must be glad to see the powerful and 
opportune appeals for action in this direction 
which have recently appeared in the papers from 
such men as Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Mackenzie. 
It is maintained by brokers and others that our 
teas at the present moment command an en- 
hanced value directly and solely traceable to the 
energetic way in which they have been placed 
before the public ; and that this is so, is doubt- 
less due to our having such men as Mr. Ruther- 
ford in our midst and Mr. Snand and others at 
home, to take the initiative in such matters. To 
maintain, however, our position in the great "tea- 
fight" of the world, it behoves us not to rest con- 
tented (as some would seem to advocate) with the 
Bmall though good beginning we have made, but 
with our increasing shipments it becomes increas- 
ingly desirable that we Ehould be in a position to 
give ready support to, and take advantage of, any 
well-considered proposal and favourable opportunity 
which may come before us for pushing and advertis- 
ing our teas, under proper auspices. If general 
and pro-rata contributions to this object are annu- 
ally made, in some such way as Mr. Rutherford 
suggests, even for a time and to such an extent as 
would step by step enable our teas to be ad- 
vertised in most of the important railway sta- 
tions and towns of the colonies and elsewhere, 
and by these and other opportunities as they present 
themselves help to maintain prices, it will be to 
the manifest benefit of all in Ceylon, down to the 
veriest " goyiya." Such a "voluntary tax" from 
all growers must however take some little time to 
carry out thoroughly, as all interested in the mat- 
ter must hope to see done ; in the meantime I quite 
concur in what Mr. Mackenzie says regarding the 
importance of losing no time in our efforts to 
raise a " joint fund " sufficient to enable us to be 
represented at the forthcoming Melbourne Exhib- 
ition. The " Centenary " affords us an opport- 
unity of obtaining a footing to benefit us for all 
time in the vast Southern Colonies with their enorm- 
ously increasing population, the advantages of 
which can scarcely be exaggerated and which as 
Mr. Rutherford says may not occur again for some 
time. In the hope therefore that general aniprompt 
contributions will be made to a joint-fund, I shall 
be glad to subscribe a R200 " sprat to catch a 
whale." — I am, sir, yours faithfully, 
ARTHUR E. SCOVELL. 
Gigantic Cacao Leaves. — The leaves sent by Mr. 
Holloway put the other big cacao leaves entirely in 
the shade. One is 2 ft. by 10 in., and the other 
1 ft. 10 in. by 10£ in.! 
Indian Tea in Australia. — The Pioneer, in 
reviewing the trade of India, remarks : — " It is 
especially disappointing to find that the exports 
of Indian tea, for which it was hoped there would 
be a great field in Australia, declined in value, 
no doubt only by a small amount but sufficiently to 
show that the article is not making its way in 
the colonies." It is possible, of course, that the 
export of the previous year was too large to be 
taken off. Australia is talked of as the land of gold, 
but in truth the proportion of the people rich 
enough to afford Indian tea is restricted. 
Fijian tea is thus noticed in the Sydney 
letter of the British Trade Journal of Aug. 1st. — It might 
interest the tea trade section of your readers as 
well as tea-drinkers to be told that the first instal- 
ment of Fijian tea ever offered publicly in this 
market was sold at auction four days ago, the price 
realised being Is ll^d to Is 2d, duty paid, the said 
duty being 3d per lb. This sample of pekoes came 
from the Alpha Estate, Tavileri. With the present 
revolution in the British fancy as regards China 
teas, and the increasing demand for Indian and 
Ceylon sorts, it will be interesting to watch, should, 
as at present appears probable, this new Fijian 
industry blossom into any proportions, how far the 
Australian taste will go ir. patronizing it. As in 
London, so here at preseni, Indian teas are growing 
favourites, and Fijian may yet work its way in 
time in like manner. 
